I have a couple of projects on the needles right now and I don’t think I’ve mentioned either of them. No time like the present!

Here is my commuter project:

This is “B to the Three,” a brioche-stitch hat designed by Meaghan Schmaltz. It takes approximately 200 yards of DK weight yarn. I am using a new yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, a blend of 45% Baby Alpaca, 45% Superfine Merino, and 10% Cultivated Silk. The yarn has the unfortunate name of “Crackpaca.” It is DK weight, with 265 yards to a 3.8 ounce skein and it is lovely to work with. I am using the “Ursula” colorway.

My at-home project:

This is “Welcome Back Garter,” a design by Casapinka. I am knitting this from Jill Draper Makes Stuff Rifton yarn in a colorway exclusive to Mason-Dixon Knitting — you can purchase it here. (I think if you want some you need to act fast — it is a limited edition and once it is gone, it is gone.)

This is actually three colorways: a gradient and two solid colors.

The two “mono” colorways are available here. I bought my yarn as soon as Ann and Kay announced its availability, and then looked for a pattern for it. Welcome Back Garter may not be the best choice for the slow-shifting gradient, but I am very pleased with how this is turning out. I have deviated a bit from the pattern to suit my yarn (and at my whim). I am not going to knit the triangle at one end of the wrap — it will be one long rectangle when I am done. While Rifton is listed as fingering weight, it is a heavy fingering weight, so I did not need as many rows as the pattern directed to reach the width of the piece. At this point, I will add tows to each short end of the wrap until I run out of yarn.

In other news, Loki has become very snuggly. He has recently decided he is a lap cat.

This is People Knitting: A Century of Photographs by Barbara Levine. The title describes it pretty well: it is a collection of photos of people knitting from the 1860s through to the 1960s. Mostly these are regular, everyday people, with a few celebrities thrown in to the mix.

Published by Princeton Architectural Press on October 4, 2016, this is a small format (5″ x 7.75″) hardcover book that would be a fun addition to your library, or a delightful holiday gift for the knitter on your list.

There is an index at the back of the book that consists of a thumbnail of each photo with its identifying information.

This fellow is a taxicab driver in London ca. 1940, knitting between fares.

This adorable image is from 1939 and is housed in the Shetland Museum and Archives

This image is identified as a Seattle woman knitting while walking, ca. 1918. I like this photo because she looks so self-assured and happy, and also because she bears a resemblance to my paternal grandmother.

And this is knitting for the forces at the beauty salon, London, 1940. You have to love some good multi-tasking!

There are a few photos that I had seen before in other places, but most of these are new to me. There are also a few reproductions of knitting related posters, greeting cards, etc. And a quote about knitting here and there. Like this one from Emily Post from “Etiquette and the War” published in the New York Times, May 17, 1943:

Excellent advice, yes?

The publisher kindly sent me two copies so I could keep one and give one away. So, who’d like a copy?

To be entered in the drawing to win my copy of People Knitting: A Century of Photographs by Barbara Levine, please leave a comment on this post by 11:00am on Sunday, October 30, 2016. Loki will draw a winner at that time.

On Thursday I finished the sweet little baby dress I showed a couple of blog posts ago.

Isn’t it sweet? The pattern is the Muti Dress, from Taiga Hilliard Designs. The yarn is KnitPicks Comfy Fingering in the “Flamingo” colorway. I used about 1.75 skeins.

A close-up of the little bodice:

And the back — it is fastened with a single button at the back neck.

The lace pattern around the hem mirrors the pattern on the bodice.

This was a very fun project. The pattern was well-written and easy to follow. It is written in a wide range of sizes, too. I can file it away for future reference, should I have the need to knit a gift for another baby girl.

It is basically the history of “knitted comforts” for soldiers and covers three centuries, up to modern times and the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

When you think of “knitting for the troops” the first thing that springs to mind is (at least for me) socks, followed by hats/balaclavas and scarves. This book covers all sorts of knitted items that have been produced over the years by different nations involved in wars and skirmishes over the years.

The book is filled with a lot of great photos and facsimiles of old posters, leaflets, patterns, and other items. Here is a great photo of World War I soldiers knitting in hospital:

The book also contains patterns to knit facsimiles of some of these knitted comforts. and some contemporary photos of the items in use. I love this dapper fellow decked out in his Crimean War regalia:

And there are lots and lots of interesting odds and ends — facsimiles of old patterns and even songs about wartime knitting!

Loki has spoken! He has chosen Karla Wigley as the lucky recipient of my review copy of Knit a Square, Create a Cuddly Creature by Nicky Epstein. I’ve got a stack of books still left to review, so be sure to come back for more chances to win for great books!

On Friday night I finished this (pardon my awkward folding — it is quite long and hard to photograph!):

This is my Hitchhiker Beyond (design by Martina Behm) that I made from gorgeous handspun yarn spun by my friend Leslie. The yarn is a merino silk blend, 2-ply sport/dk weight, and there are approximately 350 yards of each color. I used up most of both skeins and my shawl is nice and big. And it is very soft! It will be a welcome addition to my winter wardrobe.

On Saturday I started this:

This is a baby dress — the pattern is the Muti Dress, from Taiga Hilliard Designs. It’s for a colleague’s soon-to-be-born little girl. I’m using this yarn:

Knitpicks Comfy Fingering, a cotton/acrylic blend. I wanted the dress to be easy to wash, as well as comfortable to wear year-round — this way it can be worn over a top and leggings in the winter and as a sundress in the summer. Because of the style and large armholes, I think it will fit the baby for a fairly long time.

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